"The venue for this live is the K-Arena, which can hold over ten thousand people. Both the lighting and stage design require extremely precise calculations and rehearsals to guarantee a perfect result."
The manager explained to Tetsuya as she drove.
"Because both the president and I believe that the visual effect of this costume will largely determine the upper limit of this live, we specifically troubled you to join us for the rehearsal. Please forgive us if this has disrupted your original plans."
"You're too kind. After all, this also concerns my own work and design philosophy, so it's no trouble at all."
Tetsuya quickly waved his hands and said.
"It's just..."
"Just what?"
"Why... am I sitting here?"
Tetsuya, sandwiched between Uika and Ai, asked in an incredibly strained voice.
"In a situation like this, no matter how you think about it, I should be sitting in the passenger seat, right..."
"Hmm? Is there a problem?"
Hearing his question, the manager couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise.
"While it's true the three of you are sitting together, given your body types, it shouldn't be too crowded."
"That may be so, but..."
Tetsuya glanced with a wry smile at the two girls who were casually pressing against him.
It was true. With their slender frames, there was more than enough room for even another person. The problem was that not only were the two of them not keeping their distance, but they were very deliberately pressing against him... especially Ai! She wasn't just pressing against him; she had even secretly slipped her hand behind his back, making Tetsuya straighten his posture involuntarily!
"These two are both idols from your agency, right? Is it really okay to let them sit so close to a man like this?"
"Mhm, no problem."
The manager said with a calm expression.
"I've already heard about your character from Uika and Hasegawa, so I don't think you'd do anything inappropriate to them. And if I were to worry, it wouldn't be about you... Ai."
"...Hm?"
"Get your hand back here. Don't think I don't know what you're doing."
"Ehh..."
Ai withdrew her hand in surprise, the one that had almost slipped under the hem of Tetsuya's shirt.
"Higuchi-san, you're amazing! You noticed me even while you were driving!"
"...Hmph. With just a little trick like that? Don't underestimate me, little girl."
Facing Ai's exclamation, the manager just snorted disdainfully before speaking to Tetsuya again.
"Actually, the main reason you're sitting there is because this is my personal car."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"And the passenger seat of this car has always been for my president. So... you should understand what I mean, right?"
"Eh? Ah, yes..."
Not understanding the relationship between this manager and the president, Tetsuya just nodded as if he half-understood.
"It's alright. I was just worried if you would mind me sitting with them. Since you don't mind, I have no problem."
"You must be joking. Why would I mind?"
The manager twitched the corner of her mouth.
"On the contrary, I should be the one asking for your forgiveness... After all, this act of casually tossing 'live bait' into a 'beast cage' isn't very humane."
"???"
Live bait? Beast cage? This manager's metaphor seems quite offensive...
Meanwhile, Uika could no longer hold it in and burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, Higuchi-san, that metaphor is a bit too much, don't you think?"
"Then do you think my metaphor is appropriate?"
"It's ridiculously accurate!"
"There you have it, then."
The manager's expression and tone were perfectly calm.
"However, I didn't expect you to be pressing this close to Tetsuya-san as well."
"This is just to keep an eye on Ai!"
Uika explained with a smile.
"To make sure this important 'live bait' doesn't get eaten in one bite, there has to be a 'zookeeper' watching closely, right?"
Before the manager could respond, Ai frowned.
"...Hm? Zookeeper? Are you saying I'm the one being 'kept'?"
"Eh? I never said that."
Uika tilted her head, feigning innocence.
"I never said that a certain someone who lacks patience and is full of lewd thoughts is a beast."
"Aren't you saying it right now!"
"Don't just assume it's about you. Besides, Higuchi-san was the one who came up with the metaphor in the first place. You can go settle the score with her."
"I'm driving. Don't talk to me."
"Ngh..."
Feeling like she was being played for a fool, Ai glared at Uika, gritting her teeth.
Uika simply continued to meet her gaze with a smile.
As for Tetsuya, sandwiched between the two of them—
(...Why are they pressing even closer than before?!)
Feeling the ever-increasing pressure from both sides, Tetsuya felt cold sweat dripping down his back.
Although he had really wanted to protest the "live bait" description, when he felt the aggressiveness from both sides again, along with the manager's detached "none of my business" attitude, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
However, it was clear that in this cramped space, no one could stay out of it.
The two of them, their standoff yielding no results, suddenly grabbed his arms and asked in unison:
"Tetsu! (Tetsuya-san!), whose side are you on!"
"???"
Tetsuya was completely lost.
First of all, their argument made no sense. He was the one who should be the most offended, right? Why were they the ones arguing so fiercely?
And... weren't they holding him a little too tightly? Doing this in front of their manager was just way too dangerous, no matter how you thought about it!?
At this thought, Tetsuya quickly looked towards the rearview mirror, casting a pleading gaze at the manager in front, hoping for rescue.
However, the manager, the instigator of it all, had no intention of dealing with the dispute in the back, and just continued driving with focus and responsibility.
(I... maybe I shouldn't have agreed to this business trip...)
Gazing at the road ahead, its end nowhere in sight, the helpless "live bait" trapped in the cage sighed silently in his heart.